Spinach Goat Cheese Salad (Printable)

Vibrant salad with tender spinach, creamy goat cheese, dried cranberries, and candied pecans tossed in balsamic vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 5 oz baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
02 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
03 - ½ cup dried cranberries
04 - ¾ cup candied pecans, roughly chopped

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

05 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1 teaspoon honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, add the spinach leaves. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
03 - Add the crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, and candied pecans to the salad.
04 - Drizzle over the remaining vinaigrette and toss lightly to combine.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra pecans or cranberries if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than most people can decide what to eat, and it looks like you tried hard.
  • The textures keep your fork interesting: creamy, crunchy, chewy, crisp all in one bite.
  • You can make it look fancy or eat it straight from the bowl in your pajamas, both feel right.
02 -
  • Dry your spinach completely after washing or the dressing will pool at the bottom and taste watery.
  • Don't dress the salad more than five minutes before serving or the spinach wilts and the pecans lose their crunch.
  • If your vinaigrette splits, add a tiny splash of cold water and whisk hard, it'll come back together.
03 -
  • Toast your own pecans with a tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon for five minutes in a dry skillet, they taste ten times better than store-bought.
  • If the goat cheese is too tangy for someone, try a mild feta or even shaved Parmesan instead.
  • Toss the salad with your hands instead of tongs, you'll coat everything more evenly and won't bruise the spinach.
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